Clash of the Connoisseurs! (Japanese: ポケモンソムリエ対決！テイスティングバトル！！Pokémon Sommelier Showdown! Tasting Battle!!) is the 80th episode of the Best Wishes series, and the 737th episode of the Pokémon anime. It first aired in Japan on May 24, 2012 and in the United States on September 22, 2012.

Contents

Synopsis

After Ash’s victory in the Icirrus City Gym, he and his friends are about to get on their way to Template:Opelucid City and Ash’s final Gym battle. Just as they leave the Pokémon Center, Nurse Joy appears and asks if they’re going to the Opelucid Gym. When Ash says yes, Joy says that she has bad news. The note in her hand says that the Opelucid Gym has been closed, much to Ash’s dismay. Iris expresses joy at the news, which baffles Ash. He asks, “What’s so awesome about it?” to which she replies that she was kidding and misspoke. Suddenly, a luxury limousine rolls up behind them and a man with a red suit and ponytail steps out. He asks Ash if he is “the A-class ConnoisseurCilan,” but he says no and Iris points out the real Cilan. The man picks up Cilan like a child and throws him in the back of the limo, saying that he has an invitation from someone named Mr. Hatterly. Cilan holds his bumped head as his friends protest this abuse, but the man says that they are all invited and throws them in as well. Nurse Joy stares in astonishment as the limo drives away.
During the limo ride, Cilan emphatically asks the man what is going on. The man explains that Mr. Hatterly, a “very prominent citizen” from Stonesthrow Town, has requested a skilled Pokémon Connoisseur and sought Cilan as his first pick. Cilan asks what he is specifically being called for, but the man says that he may ask Mr. Hatterly in person.
When the limousine arrives at the gates of Mr. Hatterly’s estate, Cilan sees Burgundy banging on the entrance gate and demanding entry. She is not happy about Cilan’s presence, as normal. The man in the limo explains that she will have to wait because of her C-class rating, much to her outrage. The limo enters the estate and the gate suddenly shuts behind it, making Burgundy run into it face-first.
On a playground in the estate, a girl named Marigold appears to be enjoying a swing set. Her father calls out to her, and she leaves the playground, but not before turning around and saying goodbye to an unknown individual. One of the swings keeps swinging as the man asks his daughter if she was playing with someone, but she says no. He tells her that a Pokémon Connoisseur has come to see her today and is about to arrive. She runs off to get ready, but the man notices some bushes rustling near the playground.
Mr. Hatterly’s butler enters a dark room with Cilan and his friends. Spotlights turn on and illuminate Cilan and a man in flashy clothing. The butler introduces him as Ricard Nouveau, another A-class Pokémon Connoisseur. Ricard details the significance of being an A-class Connoisseur as he walks over to and greets Cilan. As they exchange hands, Ricard says that he has heard of Cilan’s skill, but sniffs his hand and reveals that he “reeks of inexperience.” The entire room becomes illuminated, and the butler introduces Mr. Hatterly, who is the father of the girl named Marigold. Ricard thanks him for the invitation, but Cilan asks the reason for it. Mr. Hatterly apologizes for forgetting to say why and explains that they are there for his daughter. Marigold bows and coyly escapes behind her father. Mr. Hatterly has the curtains be opened in full, allowing the gardens outside to be seen. Ash and Iris run outside and see a Petilil and a Template:Whimsicott, each of which Ash scans on his Pokédex. The rest of the group follows them, and Mr. Hatterly begins to say that it is almost time for his daughter to have her first Pokémon, one that is as exceptional as she is. This is why he has invited the two Connoisseurs: to pick out the perfect first partner for Marigold. Ricard has no problem with this, but Cilan reminds him that a Pokémon Connoisseur’s job is to “choose, raise, and recommend a Pokémon’s moves” and that they must first get to know the client, Marigold. Cilan asks her what Pokémon she plays with in the garden, but she turns away and hides behind her father out of fear, but Cilan catches a scent from her as she does so. Mr. Hatterly chuckles and says that Marigold is friends with all the Pokémon. A critical voice begins to berate Cilan, and suddenly a rustling bush appears and reveals an elderly man. Immediately thereafter, the butler seizes the man for trespassing. The man reacts in contempt and announces himself as Fauxgundy, the “legendary S-class Pokémon Connoisseur.” He holds up a badge as proof of his superior rank. Mr. Hatterly and the butler both apologize, but Cilan demands to know why he was called naïve. Fauxgundy says that picking a Pokémon by asking questions is naïve, and walks over to Marigold to show them all how he would do it. Fauxgundy begins to sniff Marigold all over, who freaks out and begins to scream. Mr. Hatterly picks her up and sternly questions Fauxgundy’s actions. He ignores him and begins to sniff the Pokémon in the garden, reviewing Petilil, Whimsicott, Sewaddle, Deerling, and Blitzle before settling on a Lillipup. He brings it over and claims that Lillipup is Marigold’s favorite Pokémon because it smells like her shampoo. Cilan doubts his reasoning just before Mr. Hatterly reveals that he had used Marigold’s shampoo on Lillipup. Fauxgundy begins to receive skeptical looks from the two other Connoisseurs as Cilan says that he has never heard of him, but he explains that he achieved this rank before they were even born. Ricard doubts that the Connoisseur Association existed back then. Lillipup snatches Fauxgundy’s badge just as Cilan asks to see it again, and Lillipup begins to lick the badge, revealing that the S-class mark was just a sticker covering a C-class mark. The two Connoisseurs are shocked to see this forgery, and even more so when Fauxgundy’s struggle to get the badge from Lillipup reveals his true identity, Burgundy. The butler wastes no time in removing her from the premises.
Cilan turns to Mr. Hatterly and requests to ask more questions, but Ricard is tired of the questions and begins his very own version of Evaluation Time. Iris is not thrilled at this. Ricard says that Marigold needs a Pokémon as lovely, stylish, and graceful as her. He walks through the garden, observing all the aforementioned Pokémon, as well as Swanna, a female Frillish, Minccino, and Patrat. Ricard picks up Petilil and decides that the Grass-type would suit Marigold perfectly, but Marigold is uneasy about this choice. Mr. Hatterly asks Cilan if he agrees, but he says that neither it nor Lillipup is a match for Marigold, to her apparent relief. The two Connoisseurs begin to argue, but they accept Mr. Hatterly’s suggestion to decide this with a Pokémon battle. From the bushes nearby, a mysterious creature observes the situation.
Cilan stands at one end of a battlefield on the estate grounds and thinks deeply about the scent he smelled earlier. He relates it to a sprawling meadow with a gentle breeze and deducts that it must have come from a Grass Pokémon. By process of elimination, he finds that none of the Pokémon that he has seen matches the distinctive scent. The scent itself comes to Cilan again and he sets out in search of it. Using his nose as his guide, he finds the swing set and discovers a powder on one of the seats. Ash and Iris approach and remind him that his battle is about to start, but Cilan looks confident about what he has found out.
Before the two Connoisseurs begin to battle, Mr. Hatterly thinks that Petilil is great for his daughter, so Ricard should win. In the bushes, a persistent Burgundy observes the high-ranking standoff. On the battlefield, the butler acts as referee and officially begins the one-on-one battle between Ricard and Cilan. Ricard chooses his prize Pokémon, Purrloin, which makes Cilan quake in fear for some reason. He then chooses his Crustle, but Ricard says that the Bug/Rock-type advantage over Purrloin is something a C-class would do, which of course infuriates Burgundy. Cilan makes the first move with X-Scissor, but Purrloin easily dodges, surprising Cilan with its speed. Ricard explains that his Pokémon’s speed and power is even greater than its evolved form, Liepard. Purrloin uses Sand-Attack right at Crustle’s eyes and then Fury Swipes on its head. Mr. Hatterly states that it is almost certain that Petilil will be Marigold’s first Pokémon, but she doesn’t like that outcome.
While Ricard criticizes Cilan’s battle style as boring and predictable, Ash and Iris snoop around the gardens, looking for something. Cilan responds to Ricard accordingly and calls for Shell Smash. Purrloin flies at Crustle with a Night Slash prepared, but Crustle vanishes into thin air. With its now-incredible speed, Crustle has evaded the attack and ended up facing Purrloin’s backside. Cilan seizes the opportunity and orders Rock Wrecker, which hits Purrloin with force, but also continues on to smack Burgundy right up into the sky, blasting her away from the estate. Ash hears her cry, but Iris tells him that they have to keep doing what Cilan asked them to do.
With Purrloin defeated by a single blow, Cilan wins the battle and the choice of Marigold’s first Pokémon. Ricard returns his Pokémon and admits that Cilan and Crustle are “sparkling and unpredictable” after all. Mr. Hatterly applauds the battle’s end, but his daughter still appears downtrodden. Her father asks Cilan what Pokémon he recommends, but Cilan says that her starter Pokémon should match her unique character, not her style and grace. Mr. Hatterly asks if it is one of the Pokémon in the garden, but Cilan says no. He goes on to theorize that she has already made a strong connection with one Pokémon in particular, surprising both Mr. Hatterly and Ricard. Ash and Iris run over with the Pokémon Cilan recommends… a Foongus. Marigold runs over to it and they embrace each other lovingly. Her father and Ricard are surprised even more at the news that a Foongus is her favorite Pokémon. Cilan supports his theory with the scent he picked up, which was indeed that of a Grass-type Pokémon, but also had properties of a Poison-type. Mr. Hatterly asks Marigold if this is the right choice, and she tells the story of how Foongus came to her one day as she was sitting on the swing set alone. Foongus joyfully joined her on the seat and pushed them by expelling powder, which filled the area as the two swung and had fun. She never told him because she thought that he wouldn’t approve. He goes over and assures her that he would be happy with any Pokémon she chose, and father and daughter hug. Ricard commends Cilan for his Connoisseur skills, but promises that the next time they meet, things will be different. The two Connoisseurs shake hands in accordance.
At the time of departing, all are gathered at the steps of the mansion. Marigold thanks Cilan for helping her and promises to take care of Foongus as she becomes a Trainer and goes off on her own journey; meanwhile, her father cries with happiness. The butler asks Ash if he has decided which Gym her plans to face, but he says no. The butler suggests Virbank City’s Gym, which Cilan excitedly pleads Ash to choose. Ash doesn’t hesitate at all and agrees to the selection. Ash and his friends are driven out of the estate by limo and plan to go down the river to their next stop, Virbank City, where Ash’s eigth Unova Gym badge awaits.